View full sizeTaken in the 2012 score fest that was Timbers - Galaxy at JELD-WEN Field, the Timbers unleashed a scoring barrage they hadn't done much of in 2012, but at the same point, the defensive struggles that plagued the side struck as the Galaxy tallied five goals. Both teams are in dramatically different places in 2013, as they are now both tied with 30 points on the Western Conference table.Kip Kesgard, community blogger

It's been less than a
month since we
last talked about the Los Angeles Galaxy as the Portland Timbers prepared
to make their only visit to Los
Angeles to play the Galaxy on their home pitch. With the Timbers holding their long unbeaten
streak but dealing with various player absences due to international duty, Portland played one of
their best matches in quite some time in holding the Galaxy scoreless for 90
plus minutes. Unfortunately, the Timbers
didn't score either, but the
draw gave Portland their first ever point playing in Los Angeles which was
quite an accomplishment considering it was smack in the middle of a logjam of
matches. Since then, Portland
extended their streak to 15 until their loss in Columbus, and just like the last time they
met the Galaxy, they'll need to adjust their roster due to various absences.

Portland will also need to deal with the loss of defender
Pa Modou Kah, who received a red card in the 1 to 0 loss to Columbus for unintentionally kicking Crew
forward Aaron Schoenfeld in the face while trying to defend him in the
box. Kah had already received a yellow
card for a questionable foul on Crew forward Dominic Oduro minutes earlier, but
there was no question about the severity of the infraction. Kah's foul was deemed inadvertent, though,
and so the MLS
Disciplinary Committee didn't add any additional matches to his punishment
outside of the automatic one match suspension for the red card. Of the other Timbers on the roster,
midfielder Ben Zemanski is the only player in danger of earning a one match
suspension for yellow card accumulation after he earned his fourth card late in
the Columbus
match. While Diego Chara also has four
yellow cards, he had one rescinded by MLS for good behavior for avoiding
discipline for an extended time frame – also known as the "Good Behavior
Incentive".

View full sizeWhile Pa Modou Kah will not be available for this weekend's match with Los Angeles because of his red card versus the Crew, Timbers forward Frederic Piquionne has returned to Portland for training instead of continuing with Martinique in the Gold Cup for their match with Mexico in Denver on July 14. If Martinique is able to advance, Piquionne might return for the Gold Cup quarterfinals, but that's contingent on them winning versus Mexico.Rick Curwen, community blogger

Los Angeles will be dealing with one missing player due to
Gold Cup duty, but it's a rather significant piece of their attack, as Landon
Donovan will remain with the USMNT through the rest of the month. While Donovan missed most of the early season
after a self-imposed sabbatical from soccer in all forms and the Galaxy
struggled, he returned with a vengeance in scoring 3 goals and 6 assists in 13
matches played. Los Angeles will still have Robbie Keane available,
who has scored 7 goals and 8 assists in 11 appearances this season outside of
his time with the Irish National Team.
The Galaxy have also managed to integrate recently acquired midfielder
Robbie Rogers in amongst several of their key making players, like forward
Gyasi Zardes, midfielder Marcelo Sarvas and midfielder Juninho. Defensively, the Galaxy has watched young
defender Omar Gonzalez integrate himself nicely within the veteran backline,
and as such, the Galaxy have jumped all the way to third place in the West just
ahead of the Timbers. While both sides
have 30 points, Los Angeles has
the tiebreaker based upon regular season wins, especially after winning
their ninth match of the year against FC Dallas 2 to 0 back on July 7 to
tighten up the West playoff race.

Portland put together their momentous run in the standing
but fell short against Columbus,
but they played incredibly well under difficult circumstances. Kah was ejected in the 11th
minute, meaning the Timbers played nearly 80 minutes with a man down yet
remained in the match even after conceding an early goal. Portland
had an advantage in possession and had several good chances to score, but they
weren't able to put much exactly on frame.
Whether that was conditions related or players adjusting to new roles,
Timbers Coach Caleb Porter has put the onus on his team to be mentally and
physically ready to play anytime your number is called. While the players didn't mention anything
about pressure relating to the streak, if there were any hidden issues in
holding the mark, the
loss to the Crew has eliminated that distraction entirely.

In my opinion, this is a
very important stretch of matches for the Timbers to show the rest of the
league their mettle. While the early
unbeaten streak showed a lot, it's easier to win when it's not expected and the
Timbers now have a figurative target on their backs with their run into the
playoffs. The next progression for teams
to build that winning foundation is to win when it's expected even if there are
immediate circumstances and obstacles to overcome. As much as it's important to correct a
culture that has adapted to losing or difficult situations, teams need to learn
the right way to win on the pitch. With
Porter's precise and calculating approach and players understanding their roles
within that framework, I would expect Portland
to put forth another productive effort.
Considering the situation and the home atmosphere for the Timbers, I'm
calling for a close win for the lads.